Description
Bake a bakery-style Italian loaf at home with this simple recipe. You will achieve a golden, crunchy crust and a soft, chewy interior using basic pantry ingredients. This recipe is perfect for beginners and great for dipping or making sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105-115°F)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Pour the yeast mixture and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. This develops the gluten for a chewy texture.
- Lightly oil a large bowl with extra olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This is the first rise.
- Gently punch down the risen dough. Shape it into a round or oval loaf.
- Place the shaped loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a prepared loaf pan. Cover it loosely.
- Let the dough rise again for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it looks puffy. This is the second rise. While it rises, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). For extra crust, place a shallow pan on the bottom rack during preheating to create steam later.
- Before baking, lightly brush the top of the loaf with water or an egg wash for a better crust color. You can score the top with a sharp knife if desired.
- Place the loaf in the preheated oven. If you used the steam pan, carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the pan and quickly close the oven door.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C).
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy your homemade Italian bread!
Notes
- For an extra crispy crust, place a baking stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven while preheating.
- If you prefer a softer crust, skip the steam step and brush the loaf with melted butter immediately after it comes out of the oven.
- This bread is excellent served warm with olive oil for dipping.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 0.5
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 0.3
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 29
- Fiber: 1.5
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0